154587: He lost his wudoo’ whilst doing the prostration of forgetfulness (sujood al-sahw); what should he do?

What should one do if one makes a mistake (such as forgetting to recite Rabbigfirli between the two sajdas) in Sajdah Sahw ? Also what should one do if ones wudhu gets lost during the Sajsah Sahw (such as when sitting between the two sajsas)?.

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly:

What is prescribed in the prostration of forgetfulness is to
say in it and between the two prostrations what one says in prostration
during prayer, so you should say tasbeeh whilst prostrating and say Rabb
ighfir li (Lord forgive me) between the two prostrations. But if you
forget any of that, you do not have to do another prostration for
forgetfulness, so that it does not become an endless cycle.

It says in al-Sharh al-Kabeer (1/700) about matters
for which no prostration is required: It is not prescribed to do the
prostration of forgetfulness in the funeral prayer, because there is no
prostration in this prayer, so how could you do a prostration to make up for
a mistake in this case; or in the prostration of recitation, or in the
prostration of forgetfulness. This was stated by Ahmad. And because there is
consensus narrated by Ishaaq, because it would become an endless cycle. So
if he forgets something after doing the prostration of forgetfulness, he
should not prostrate again for that reason. And Allah knows best. End
quote.

It says something similar in Mataalib Ooli al-Nuha
(1/507).

To sum up: if a person forgets something during the
prostration of forgetfulness, he does not have to do anything else, and his
prayer is valid.

Secondly:

If a person loses his wudoo’ during the prostration of
forgetfulness, the matter is subject to further discussion:

1.
If he prostrated before the
salaam, his prayer is rendered invalid, because saying the tasleem at the
end of the prayer is a pillar or essential part of prayer, and he broke his
wudoo’ before doing this essential part.

2.
If he had said the salaam at
the end of his prayer, and he only had the prostration of forgetfulness to
do, then he lost his wudoo during it or before he did it, then his prayer is
valid and he does not have to do anything else, because the prostration is
making up for a mistake in the prayer, and it is not rendered invalid by
missing it.

It says in Kashshaaf al-Qinaa‘ (1/409): If a person
forgets the prostration of forgetfulness until he starts another prayer,
then he remembers it, he should make it up when he says the salaam, if a
long time has not passed. But if a long time has passed, he should not do
this prostration, because it is done to complete a prayer, so it should not
be done after a long time has passed. Or if he has left the masjid he does
not have to do this prostration; and the same applies if he loses his wudoo’
-- and his prayer is valid.